ROTARY DEGASSERS AND COMPONENTS THEREFOR

• US 20130343904A1
• Filed: 08/22/2013
• Published: 12/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Molten Metal Equipment Innovations Incorporated (Molten)
• Original Assignee: Molten Metal Equipment Innovations Incorporated (Molten)
• Inventors: Cooper, Paul V.
• Granted Patent: US 9,328,615 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 416/90.R
• CPC Class Codes: C21C 1/06 Constructional features of mixers for pig-iron
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/18 Hollow blades, i.e. blades with cooling or heating channels or cavities structure of hollow blades in general F01D5/147; Heating, heat-insulating or cooling means on blades
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 3/02 Shafts; Axles
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 1/108 having retaining means rotating with the coupling and acting by interengaging parts, i.e. positive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: F27B 3/22 Arrangements of air or gas supply devices
• CPC Class Codes: F27D 2027/002 Gas stirring
• CPC Class Codes: F27D 27/00 Stirring devices for molten material F27D3/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F27D 3/16 Introducing a fluid jet or current into the charge porous elements for gas flushing of molten metals B22D1/005

Abstract

Disclosed are degassers, couplings, impeller shafts and impellers for use in molten metal. One such coupling transfers gas into an impeller shaft, the coupling having a smooth, tapered internal surface to align with a corresponding surface on the impeller shaft and help prevent gas leakage and to assist in preventing damage to the impeller shaft. Improved impellers for shearing and mixing gas are also disclosed, as is a degasser including one or more of these components.

Claims

1. An impeller having a top surface and a bottom surface, the impeller for dispersing gas into molten metal and comprising:

an opening in the bottom surface through which gas can be released; and

at least one open channel in communication with the opening, the channel for directing the gas; and

at least one cavity, the channel directing gas to the cavity, the cavity being defined by a curved side surface and a top surface and the channel extending from the center of the impeller to the center of the curved side surface of the cavity.

2. The impeller of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of cavities and a plurality of channels, wherein each of the plurality of channels leads to one of the cavities.

3. The impeller of claim 1 wherein the cavity is defined by a curved side surface and a top surface and the channel extends from the center of the impeller to the center of the curved side surface.

4. The impeller of claim 1 comprising four channels, wherein each channel extends from a center of the impeller to a cavity.

5. The impeller of claim 1 that further includes a shearing structure juxtaposed the at least one cavity.

6. The impeller of claim 1 that is comprised of graphite.

7. The impeller of claim 1 that has a top surface, a bottom surface and a plurality of cavities.

8. The impeller of claim 7, wherein the top surface has an outer perimeter and at least part of each of each curved side surface is inside the outer perimeter of the top surface.

9. The impeller of claim 1 that has four channels and each channel leads to the center of one respective curved side surface.

10. The impeller of claim 1, wherein each of the at least one cavity is juxtaposed a shearing structure.

11. The impeller of claim 1, wherein each shearing structure is an edge of a curved surface that partially forms the cavity.

12. An impeller for use in a rotary degasser, the impeller comprising:

an opening through which gas can escape;

a first cavity for capturing gas released from the opening; and

a second cavity above the first cavity, the second cavity for capturing gas released from the gas-release opening.

13. The impeller of claim 12 wherein there are a plurality of first cavities and a plurality of second cavities.

14. The impeller of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of first cavities is juxtaposed by a shearing structure.

15. The impeller of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of second cavities is juxtaposed by a shearing structure.

16. The impeller of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of second cavities is juxtaposed by a shearing structure.

17. The impeller of claim 13, wherein there are eight first cavities and four second cavities.